Author Archives: GovWorldMag

Anneliese Dodds MP, Labour’s Shadow Treasury Minister, responding to the publication by the EU of a tax haven blacklist, said:

“It is disappointing to see UK Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies mentioned as ‘on notice’ from the EU in its tax haven blacklist. The British Government said back in April that it would require Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies to produce registers of beneficial ownership which would be accessible to HMRC.

“Although some have complied, others have not. Just as the UK’s own beneficial ownership register has been criticised for apparently missing some companies which it should include, this is a case of faulty implementation by the British Government and a lack of political will to stop tax dodging.

“The British Government has not earned itself many allies by trying to protect certain jurisdictions during this process. They have also consistently blocked European-wide initiatives for a public register of the beneficial ownership of offshore trusts.

“Ultimately it is in the interests of everyone to have more tax transparency and action against money laundering and aggressive tax avoidance.”

Jonathan Ashworth MP, Labour’s Shadow Health Secretary, responding to the Health Select Committee’s first evidence session into Brexit, said:

“The Prime Minister must urgently heed this dire warning at the Health Select Committee. It is critically important that patients’ access to crucial drugs is not restricted in any way once we leave the European Union.

“Earlier today at the Britain Against Cancer Conference, I warned of the significant unresolved questions the Government must answer regarding our future access to radioactive isotopes, as well as our future relationship with EU clinical trials regulation.

“Theresa May must also immediately safeguard the future of EU workers here in Britain and stop treating them as bargaining chips in her reckless Brexit negotiations. Failure to do so risks exacerbating the already dire crisis in our health and care system.”

Debbie Abrahams MP, Labour’s Shadow Work and Pensions Secretary responding to the Government’s climb down on the Universal Credit papers, said:

“Following Labour pressure, the Government has finally backed down and made a clear commitment to hand over the Universal Credit reports.

“This should give greater insight into the scale of their implementation and design failures during the mismanagement of the programme and must be published unredacted and unedited.

“Too many families have been pushed into poverty by the Tories’ disastrous mishandling of Universal Credit’s roll out and it is only set to get worse, with thousands facing a miserable Christmas.

“It is time we knew the true extent of the Government’s failures with Universal Credit in order to fix the multitude of problems.

“Labour will transform Universal Credit to ensure it reduces child poverty and always makes work pay.”